"Eyewitness Programme"
Launch of the Eyewitness Programme
Posted by Howard Dembovsky
On Saturday 12 December 2009, the first two participants in the JPSA Eyewitness Programme set out with ER24 Advanced Response Unit Paramedics for their shift which ran from 13:00 to Midnight.
Michael Behrens, a JPSA member stood in for Anthony, who was in poor health after suffering a diabetic seizure earlier in the week.
Ready to go.
Greg and David photographed with Paramedics Werner and Lloyd at ER24's Head office in Paulshof, Sandton.
Advanced response is a serious "business" since these units are most often the first on the scene. For this reason, fast vehicles, decked out with all of the appropriate warning equipment (lights and sirens) and life-saving equipment and drugs are used to get to patients as fast as possible.
This all sounds very good in theory, but the reality of the matter is that some South African Motorists seem to be of the impression that these vehicles are an irritation that need to be "dealt with" by refusing to get out of their way and - in some cases - used to "piggy back" off in order to get through traffic jams.
Inconsiderate behaviour.
"Piggy Backing" off the first response vehicle, this motorist felt that getting out of the way of medical response vehicles does not apply to him.
In addition, a number of motorists stuck in the traffic jam on the N12E saw fit to hoot, gesture and scream at the paramedics trying to get through the traffic to the scene of the three vehicle pile-up.
Many motorists gestured to the vehicles to use the "emergency lane" which in this construction zone, like most is littered with a variety of dangerous debris and being driven in by a large amount of people who feel that their need to reach their destination quickly is more important than the lives of people involved in traffic collisions.
Then there were the (many) motorists who simply refused to make way. Bizarre behaviour, the likes of which I have never seen and this behaviour should be strongly condemned!
Clean up.
Michael and Greg get stuck into the task of sweeping up broken glass and collision debris.
At this scene of a three vehicle collision in the "fast lane", involving a bakkie, a Golf and a taxi, the JPSA Eyewitnesses participants got stuck into tackled their task with all of the fervour required to get the job done.
Firemen, traffic officers and members of the public looked on with shocked looks on their faces at these guys doing this.
Someone's holiday was ruined by this collision since the damage to the Golf (front and rear) was so significant that it is doubtful that it will be deemed as repairable. Fortunately, the immediate injuries were minor but one must bear in mind that being involved in this kind of collision can present medical problems later.
What caused the collision will have to be detemined by the investigators, however this kind of collision is usually associated with not observing the correct following distances.
Scooter v Car
A scooter driver and a Mini collided at an out of order traffic light. A while after the collision, the traffic lights started working again.
When traffic lights go out, intersections are supposed to be treated as a four way stop, but once again, there are some people who have a greater need to reach their destination than obeying the rules of the road allow.
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable due to the fact that they are on smaller vehicles and many motorists fail to see them in traffic. There is also no protection afforded by a motorcycle like there is in a car or other vehicle.
At this scene, the injuries to the motorcyclist were minor but his scooter suffered significant damage to his front tyre and forks. He was taken to hospital to be checked out thoroughly. Michael and Greg helped load his scooter onto a tow truck for transportation to the police station for safekeeping and cleaned up the debris.
There were a few other call-outs that day and evening and the team responded to each and every one with the same energy, gusto and dedication.
What was learned?
Both Greg and Michael feel that they benefited from their experience, gaining a healthy respect for what can happen in a collision and for paramedics alike. So much so that Greg has said that he wants to go again, but he will have to arrange this himself as our programme only allows for once off participation.
They also learned (and so did we) that South African motorists can behave very badly and actually cause huge delays in medical attention reaching people who need them. This perspective leaves one with an uneasy feeling, knowing that your life is in fact in the hands of your fellow road users who regard emergency vehicles as an irritation.
The "Golden Hour" principal can be so adversely affected by the behaviour of road users that precious time fades away whilst paramedics battle their way through traffic that refuses point blank to make way for them. Perhaps some of the reason for South Africa's high road death toll is that motorists have forgotten what they should know about making way for emergency vehicles.
Even though there have been cases where emergency personnel abuse their "privilege" of having sirens and lights, it should be assumed that each and every emergency vehicle is responding to a genuine emergency and if you do not allow them through, you are endangering a person who really needs professional help - and needs it now. Get the heck out of the way!